[IMA-HelenT]

So sorry to here this.

There isn’t anything on the IMA site specifically answering the question, but there are broader conversations around tick-borne illnesses in our webinars around the topic. They emphasizes the complex ways ticks can impact the immune system, potentially influencing other health conditions.

Though no definitive link has been established, these discussions underscore the importance of further research into how infections and immune responses might intersect with cancer risk.

A search return for Lyme on the IMA website that may be helpful to explore: https://imahealth.org/search/?q=Lyme

Dr. Saleeby is always a great source of knowlege around the subject https://charlestonlivingmag.com/carolina-holistic-medicine

Please do refer to our amazing resources in the Cancer Hub : https://imahealth.org/cancer-resource-hub/

[Dr. Gudel]

I have not seen this myself but it seems plausible as Lyme –> inflammation–> mitochondrial damage –> cancer. I asked Ai (Claude) about this & here is what he said:

“There’s no established causal link between Lyme disease and cancer, but there’s an interesting research history here worth unpacking.

Where the idea comes from:

• Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by tick bites.
• Chronic bacterial and viral infections in general have been linked to certain cancers (H. pylori and stomach cancer, hepatitis B/C and liver cancer, HPV and cervical cancer), so researchers have long wondered whether Borrelia might behave similarly.
• There have been scattered case reports and small studies looking at Borrelia DNA in certain skin cancers, particularly a rare type of skin lymphoma called cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma). Some studies, mostly from Europe, found Borrelia DNA in these tumors more often than expected, especially in East Asia. Studies in the US have generally not replicated this finding.

What the evidence actually shows:

• Large epidemiological studies have not found a general increased risk of cancer in people who’ve had Lyme disease.
• Any potential association with lymphoma appears to be limited to a specific rare subtype and specific geographic regions, and even there, causation hasn’t been established—it’s more that Borrelia infection might sometimes trigger prolonged immune stimulation of certain lymphocytes, which in rare cases could contribute to lymphoma development. This is similar to how H. pylori can cause a type of stomach lymphoma (MALT lymphoma).
• The idea that Lyme disease broadly causes or is linked to cancer is not supported by mainstream medical evidence and isn’t part of standard clinical understanding.

Bottom line: aside from a possible, narrow, and still-debated connection to a rare skin lymphoma, Lyme disease is not considered a cancer risk factor.

If you’re asking because of a personal health concern, it’s worth discussing directly with your doctor, since they can look at your specific history and any symptoms you’re experiencing.”

Hope this is helpful…